Conventional cryo-surgical systems for removing lesions have fixed sized buds. However, different sized buds (i.e. 5 mm and 2 mm) are available to treat various sized lesions. For professional or Over-The-Counter (OTC) applications, the user is never sure how many treatments will be required to remove the lesion, or which sized bud will be needed to effectively treat the lesion. Much of the pain associated with the treatment of lesions results from the freezing of the lesion, as well as the freezing of healthy tissue that surrounds the lesion. Accordingly, matching the size of the bud to the lesion to be treated will minimize the pain associated with the treatment. In addition, due to the viral nature of many lesions, it is recommended that a bud be used for only one treatment location.
There are many factors that determine the number of treatments which will be needed to remove the lesions in both the professional and OTC markets. In the OTC market, the user must purchase a kit where the total number of treatments ranges from 7 to 12, and includes buds and a pressurized can containing a sufficient amount of refrigerant to effectively treat the lesion. Accordingly, the pressurized can with the refrigerant must maintain integrity at high temperatures during the shipping process to retail markets. However, since most OTC kits require a valve to release the refrigerant during each of the separate treatments, the valve must withstand the internal pressures of the can at high temperatures and minimize any leaking of the refrigerant from within the can that could reduce the shelf life of the kit. Accordingly, the pressurized can must have sufficient refrigerant to compensate for any normal losses during shipping, and storage during its shelf life, and still deliver the maximum number of treatments up to and including the last day of the kit's defined shelf life. To insure this, manufacturers overfill the pressurized can with refrigerant and increase the pressure within the can. As a result, after utilizing all of the individual buds provided with the kit for the treatments, any residual pressurized refrigerant remains in the can and presents issues regarding environmentally safe disposal, as well as an explosion hazard for the user during the disposal process.
In light of the above issues, it may therefore be desirable to provide a cryo-surgical system capable of match the bud size to the size of a targeted lesion or area of a lesion. It may further be desirable to adjust the bud size of a treatment system to substantially reduce the damage to healthy tissue adjacent to a targeted lesion or treatment area of a lesion. It also may be desirable to provide a single-use cryo-surgical treatment for lesions. Further it may be desirable to provide a system having a configuration to provide for precise treatment of lesions in substantially hard to reach locations.